Cooker’s Pot

You’ll Need:

- 7 oz. (175g) plain flour
- three ounces (75g) margarine
- salt and pepper
- 1 oz. (25g) butter
- half a pint (250ml) milk
- 4 oz. (100g) grated cheese
- 12 oz. (340g) tin asparagus spears

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425F, Gas Mark 7, 220C
2. Sift 6 oz. (150g) flour with a pinch of salt
3. Rub in the margarine and mix to make a stiff dough with cold water
4. Use this pastry to line a 7 inch (18cm) flan dish
5. Trim the edges and line the flan with a piece of greaseproof paper
6. Fill with baking beans then bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes
7. Remove the beans and paper then return flan to oven and bake for 5 minutes
8. Put the butter, remaining flour and milk into a pan
9. Place over a gentle heat and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens and boils
10. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 2 minutes, whisking all the time
11. Season to taste and stir in 3 oz. (75g) cheese
12. Drain the asparagus spears and dry on kitchen paper, reserving 6-8 of the best ones for decoration
13. Lay the remainder in the flan and pour over the cheese sauce
14. Decorate with the reserved spears and sprinkle with the remaining cheese
15. Return to the oven to brown the top

You’ll Need:

Preparation - 15 minutes, cooking time - 40 minutes

4 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup bacon, chopped
1 cup Cheddar grated
4 scallions, chopped
For the dip:
1 cup sour cream
4 scallions, chopped
1 tsp horseradish sauce

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cut each potato into 8 wedges and place in a bowl with the oil, paprika, and salt. Toss well together, arrange on a sturdy baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Scatter over the grated cheese and scallions and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the wedges are nicely browned. Meanwhile, make the dip by stirring together the sour cream, scallions, and horseradish sauce. Spoon into a serving bowl, place the bowl into the center of a large plate, and arrange the cheesy wedges and serve hot.

You’ll Need:

3 tbsp dried wild mushrooms such as porcini, cepes, or Chilean
2 cups cooked barley
2 shallots, minced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh chives
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mild white vinegar such as champagne or rice vinegar
1 cup shredded cooked kale

Procedure:

In a small bowl, in enough boiling water to cover, soak mushrooms until tender, about an hour. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl or salad bowl, combine barley shallots, garlic, chives, thyme, oil, vinegar, and kale. When mushrooms are ready, drain and mince them. Add to barley mixture and toss well. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled with grilled or poached chicken or as an entree accompanied by a quick saute of seasonal vegetables.

You’ll Need:

1 lb bean curd
1 lg can of pineapple chunks
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
Oil
1 ea green onion, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts

Procedure:

Cut drained bean curd into small cubes. Drain syrup from the pineapple, retaining 1 tbsp of it. Dissolve cornflour in this. Stir in sherry and soy sauce. Add bean curd and let stand for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a wok and stir fry the marinated bean curd till the liquid has been absorbed. Remove and drain. Add a little more oil and stir-fry the green onion, bean sprouts and pineapple for 1 minute. Add bean curd, cook for 2 minutes. Serve with boiled rice.

You’ll Need:

3/4 pound tofu
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp minced gingerroot
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 cup sliced fresh shiitake or button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 scallions, coarsely chopped

Procedure:

Cut tofu into chunks and place in a flat dish with sides. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar. Pour marinade over tofu and toss to coat. Marinate for an hour. Spoon tofu and marinade into large skillet and add mushrooms and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until tofu is cooked through and stock is reduced by half, 10 minutes. Add sesame oiland serve hot, sprinkled with scallions.This makes a nice main dish when served over rice with a side dish of clear soup and a marinated vegetable salad.

You’ll Need:

14 oz can artichoke hearts
1/2 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese (soft)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 ea 10 oz. broccoli chopped
1 x Saltine cracker crumbs

Procedure:

Grease 1 1/2 casserole dish. Place artichoke hearts in bottom, quartered and drained. Combine butter, cream cheese and lemon juice. Add broccoli that’s been cooked and drained. Pour mixture over artichokes. Top with crumbs. Bake uncovered 25 minutes 350 degree oven. For zip add garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt, Tabasco.

You’ll Need:

3 tsp sweet butter, melted
2 shallots, minced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp dill
1 pound brussels sprouts

Procedure:

In a large bowl, combine butter, shallots, tomato, caraway seeds, and dill. Rinse brussels sprouts well and remove any brown or damaged leaves. Cut off the stem ends, then cut each sprout into slices, cutting from top to stem end. Add sprouts to tomato mixture and stir well to combine. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lay out six 12 x 12-inch aluminium foil squares and divide sprout mixture equally among them, making a small mound on half of each square. Then fold each square over to cover the mound and crimp all the edges closed. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and bake until sprouts are tender, about 30 minutes. Use a kitchen shears to cut the packets open, then serve hot.

You’ll Need:

- 1 lb. (500g) leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 lb. (500g) leftover cooked cabbage
- 2 oz. (50g) butter
- salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Mix in the cabbage with the potato and season to taste with salt and pepper
2. Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the potato mixture and smooth it flat with a palette knife
3. Fry over a medium heat for about 8 minutes or until under size browns
4. Place a large plate over the pan and turn the pan and plate over so that the bubble and squeak is on the plate
5. Heat the remaining butter in the pan and carefully slide the bubble and squeak back in the pan
6. Cook again over a medium heat until the other side is golden brown
7. Cut into wedges and serve

You’ll Need:

1 small eggplant(3/4 lb)
1 sweet red pepper, cored and cut in half vertically
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup buckwheat
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Juice and pulp of 1 lemon
2 tsp sweet butter
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Procedure:

Cut eggplant in half vertically, then blanch in boiling water until tender, 10 minutes. Preheat the broiler. When eggplant is ready, set it cut side down on a baking sheet, along with pepper halves. Broil until charred, 6-7 minutes, then put vegetables into a brown paper bag, fold to seal and set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add buckwheat and saute until fragrant and roasted 5 minutes, add garlic, stock, and bay leaf, then cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed about 7-8 minutes. Add lemon juice and pulp, butter, sage, thyme, and basil to buckwheat and stir well. Remove pepper and eggplant from the bag and use your fingers to remove the charred skins. Chop vegetables, add them to buckwheat and stir well. Remove bay leaf, then place the mixture in a serving dish and serve warm or at room temperature.

You’ll Need:

Preparation - 5 minutes, cooking time - 1 1/2 hours

1 large potato, 9 oz
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt
Small pat of butter

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Scrub the potato and dry throughly. prick in several places with a fork and rub in the olive oil; sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the potato feels soft when gently squeezed. Wrap the potato in a clean towel and slam it down onto a board; alternatively, place the potato on a serving plate with a dish towel on top and hit it with your fist. Both these slamming methods work really well because the force breaks up the potato into fluffy grains and usually causes a natural split. Drop the butter into the split and sprinkle in a little more salt. Eat immediately or serve with your choise of topping: Here are some favorites: - sour cream and chives - tuna and garlic mayo - cream cheese and smoked salmon - curried baked beans with Cheddar - sauteed leeks, cream cheese and black pepper.